Seal.



E. J. nooks.

S E A L (Applintion filed Aug. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

2 shim-shear I,

' A wvewboz Witt wows [I H u WM 1 P m: nonm; PETUOS cu. PNOTD-LIYNQ, WASHINGTON. 0. c4

(No Model.)

E. J. BROOKS.

SEAL.

(Application filed Aug. 24. 1900.)

Patented Oct. 30, I900.

2 She etsSheei 2.

ammmto'c awe rm 0,11

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD J. BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters, Patent No. 660,837, dated October 30, 1900.

Application filed A t 24, 1900- serial No. 27.916. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. BROOKS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Orange, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to pressfastened seals for securing the doors of railway freightcars and for other like uses and to those seals which are composed exclusively of sheet metal and wire.

The primary object of the present invention is to produce a light and secure seal of this description in which an anchoring-coil, by which one end of the shackle is preliminarily fastened within the seal-disk at the factory, serves to coact with the other shackle end, so as to add to the security of the latter in the pressed seal, and which is thus and otherwise adapted to be securely fastened by a simple central indentation that is readily produced by a suitable seal-press with less expensive dies than are commonly employed.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate and expedite threading such seals preliminary to the pressing operation.

The invention consists in an improved seal embodying means for accomplishing the objects above stated and-in novel combinations of parts whereby the respective effects are produced.

Two sheets of drawings accompany this specification as part thereof.

Figure l of the drawings is a face view of an improved seal embodying the several features of the present invention, showing the seal as it leaves the factory. Fig. 2 is a face view of the shackle-wire as itappears before the parts are assembled. Figs. 3 and 4 are face and. edge views, of one part of the sealdisk as it appears before the parts are assem-f bled. Figs. 5'and 6 are face and edge views of the other part of the seal-disk as it appears before the parts are assembled. Fig. 7 is a face view of the finished seal-disk, enlarged from Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an edge view projected from Fig. 7 with the seal-disk in section. Fig. 9 is a sectional edge view showing the seal as threaded preliminary to the pressing operation. Fig. 10 is a sectional edge view of the pressed seal.

Figs. 11 and 12 are a face View and a sectional edge view of a modified seal. Figs. 13 and 14 are face views of alternative shackle-coils. Fig. 15 represents a section through a pair of dies such as Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in all the figures.

The improved seal in either of its forms is composed of a flexible shackleA of single wire and a hollow sheet-metal seal-disk B, that is preferably and conveniently made from circularblanksofscrap-tin. Theshackle A has in all cases an anchoring-coil l or its equivalent at one end and a normally straight end 2 at its other extremity. The seal-disk B is in all cases composed of two parts a and b, separately formed by stamping-dies and subsequently united by a circumferential joint 0, the disk part Ct being dome-shaped and having a notch 3 to admit the coil end of the shackle, threading-openings 4 and 5 for the passage of the shackle end 2 through the seal-disk, and, preferably, rigid lips 6 and 7, consisting of the metal punched from the openings 4 and 5, respectively, together with a fiat marginal rim 8, Figs. 3 and 4, as its element of the joint 0, and the disk part b, having originally a crown-flange 9, Fig. 6, for the joint 0, together with the initials of a railway or a like distinguishing-mark 10, Fig. 5, and, preferably, a number 11, Fig. 5, which may be that-of a sealing-station or a consecutive seal-number, as maybe preferred. The seal is thus provided with such marks .by the manufacturer, so as to secure distinct marks and to obviate'sacrificing secure fastenings to the production of such marks in the sealpress.

The specific seal 10, inclusive) is constructed with a raised tunnel 12 at its apex or crown connecting the threading-holes 4 and 5, and when the parts are assembled, as in Fig. l and Figs. 7 to 9,

the shackle-coil l-is behind the same or below the threading-holes 4 and 5 and their lips 6 and 7, as viewed in Figs. 8 and 9. In the modified seal (represented by Figs. 11 and 12) the threading-holes 4 and 5 are located nearer the lettered face of the seal-disk, so that the (represented by Figs. 1 to second shackle end 2 when it is threaded, as in Fig. 12, passes through the coil 1, and thus insures interlocking the two ends of the wire with each other. This seal is necessarily less easy to thread than the form first described; but with the aid of the lips 6 and 7 it can be threaded with reasonable facility as compared with other seals. After one of the improved seals of either form is threaded, as in Figs. 9 and 12, it is placed in a seal-press in the manner illustrated by Fig. 15 and is securely fastened by a single central indentation 13, Fig. 10, by means of a die having a smooth rounded face end, as represented at d in Fig. 15. The bed-die c, Fig. 15, may be simply a suitable milled recess in the head'- casting of the seal-press, Fig. 16. The security of such press-fastened seals composed wholly of wire and sheet metal depends very largely on the efficiency of the seal-press. A ratchet seal-press such as is represented by Fig. 10, if properly constructed, affords all necessary precaution in regard to thoroughly pressing each seal and is considered necessary to the proper employment of the improved seals.

In Fig. 16,frepresents the head of the press, and 9 its mouth, within which the dies (1 and c, Fig. 15, are arranged. it and 71 represent lever-handles, one of which in this press is integral with the head f, while the other operates the movable die (I. j represents the ratchet-rack of the press, and It represents its safety-pawl, the latter being carried by the lever-handle t' and coacting' with said ratchet-rack, which is formed on the headf concentric with the pivot of said lever-handle t'. This press is constructed under my Patents No. 298,284, datedMay 6, 1884, and No. 595,282, dated December 7, 1897, and further description thereof in this specification is considered unnecessary. Other suitable types of ratchet seal-presses are set forth in my Patents No. 326,897, dated September 22, 1885; No. 438,140, dated October 14, 1890; No. 485,370, dated November 1, 1892, and No. 569,742, dated October 20, 1896.

The pressed seal is represented by Fig. 10. In either form the second shackle end 2 receives a sharp bend and is brought into contact with one or more fakes of the coil within the seal-disk, so as to be fastened against withdrawal by said coil. The shape of the coil admits of considerable variation, as illustrated by Figs. 13 and 14, and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement,

I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification- 1. A seal, adapted to be press-fastened, composed of a flexible shackle having a coil at one end and a threading end adapted to interlock directly with said coil at its other extremity, and a hollow seal-disk of sheet metal comprising a dome-shaped part having a notch to admit the coil end of the shackle at the factory and threading-openings for the passage of said threading end of the shackle within access to said coil, and a disk part provided with distinguishing marks and permanently interlocked with said domeshaped part.

2. The combination, in a seal adapted to be press-fastened, of a flexible shackle of wire having a coil at one end and a normallystraight end at its other extremity, and a hollow seal-disk, composed of two parts of sheet metal united with each other bya circumferential joint, inclosing said coil, and having threading holes through which the other shackle end can be passed through the sealdisk and within access to said coil, and rigid lips within the seal-disk to assist in directing the shackle end last named.

3. The combination, in a seal adapted to be press-fastened, of a flexible shackle of single wire having a coil at one end within the seal-disk and a normally-straight end at its other extremity, and a hollow seal-disk of sheet metal constructed with a pair of threading-holes connected with each other by a normally-projecting tunnel to facilitate passing the shackle end last named through the sealdisk within eifective reach of said coil, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

EDWARD J. BROOKS.

Witnesses:

THOMAS TIERNEY, JOHN DECKER. 

